Maruti: Workers’ kin to protest

Family members of around 500 workers, who were sacked from Maruti Suzuki India's Manesar plant after a violent clash in July, will stage a demonstration at the mini secretariat here on September 21.

The workers' families will hold a peaceful protest to demand reinstatement of all the sacked workers, including the casual employees whose contracts have been terminated. "We are also demanding a fair trial of those arrested for the July 18-violence," said Satbir Singh, president of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

A senior HR manager was killed and more than 100 others were injured during the clash at the plant. Around 160 MSI workers were arrested for the violence.

The demonstration will be supported by nearly 30 trade unions of Gurgaon and Manesar, Singh said, adding that the number of protesters would be in thousands.

Earlier, the workers' family members held a meeting at Gurgaon's a Dharamshala in Sadar Bazar.

Union leaders said the workers are in a state of fear after the police launched an "all-out" hunt against them. Also they said these workers have been victimised by the government and the MSI management.

"We are trying to instill confidence among them and prepare them to fight against the injustice meted out to them," Singh added.

Workers of Eastern Medikit, Udyog Vihar-based medical equipment manufacturing firm, will also join the protest. These workers have been jobless for the past three months after their employers absconded.

Meanwhile, the MSI has been recruiting new workers in cities like Chandigarh, Shimla, Allahabad, Delhi and Jaipur to ramp up production at the Manesar plant, which was locked for over a month following the clash. The recruitment drive began on September 2.